In the following discussion certain articles and methods will be described for background and introductory purposes. Nothing contained herein is to be construed as an “admission” of prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to demonstrate, where appropriate, that the articles and methods referenced herein do not constitute prior art under applicable statutory provisions.
Joint pain can flare up for any number of reasons, as a result of, e.g., over a hundred different arthritic conditions—of which rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the most common—as well as tendonitis, bursitis, inflammation of the ligament, synovitis, gout, and systemic lupus erythematosus. When injured, a chain of events in the immune system known as the inflammatory cascade is triggered, causing redness, swelling and pain. Next, anti-inflammatory compounds take over to heal the area once the threat is diminished. When this process—known as local or acute inflammation takes place—it is a sign of a healthy immune system. However, if inflammation persists it can lead to a more chronic condition.
Current treatments for inflammatory diseases of the joint such as rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis, tendonitis, synovitis and the like remain suboptimal. Identifying treatments that would require less frequent administration would impact significantly the quality of life for patients with inflammatory joint disease; however, despite substantial research into and development of therapies for such conditions there is still a large unmet need for safe, effective, and easy-to-administer treatments.